Guide to One and Two Turn Track Configurations

Level: Intermediate

By Dana Byerly, Hello Race Fans Co-founder

Nuance and overlooked angles are the lifeblood of handicappers: we crave an edge and will work hard to find a little something that others may have overlooked. One such nuance is track configuration.

Because tracks are configured differently, the same distance is not run the same way at all racetracks. For example, a 1-mile race at Gulfstream Park is run around one turn, while a 1-mile race at Oaklawn Park is run around two turns. And Fair Grounds Race Course doesn’t even have 1-mile races, but its race run at 1 mile and 70 yards is run around two turns. In most cases, you will find a diagram of the race’s configuration in the upper right hand corner of the past performance.

One can also find detailed information about every track configuration in the American Racing Manual, the annually published statistical tome produced by the Daily Racing Form. Information available includes a diagram, the precise distance of the track, chutes and the stretch. But while there are dozens of configurations and track distances, we’ll focus on noting which distances are run at one turn and which distances are run at two turns between the distances of 7-furlongs and 1 1/8 miles (9-furlongs), as these races are where there is the most variation.

How can information about track configuration be factored into your handicapping? Let’s investigate…

As a Kentucky Derby Factor
“Is he a two-turn horse?” is a question you’ll hear asked throughout the Kentucky Derby prep season. Generally it’s meant to ask if a horse will do well as he stretches out to try longer distances, but one of the new challenges he might face at those longer distances is racing around two turns instead of one. In fact, one of the many angles commonly used to evaluate Kentucky Derby contenders is how they’ve fared at two-turn races. Horses coming into the Kentucky Derby with multiple, positive efforts around two turns are usually viewed as serious contenders.

Aside from figuring out who is trying two turns for the first time, knowing who has already done well, or not so well, around two turns can be very helpful. In any two-turn race, it’s good to keep an eye out for flashy maiden winners at a short price who have only raced around one turn, as these horses can frequently present an opportunity to find value elsewhere in the field with horses who have performed well at two turns that are a better price. There’s an old saying about never betting a horse who’s favored to do something he’s never done before, and this would be a good example of how that concept could be applied.

Why does the extra turn matter? Because there are more chances for traffic trouble and more maneuvering in general. If a horse is a little green or a bit of a plodder, the additional maneuvering that comes with two turns could potentially play against him or her. You can always watch replays to figure out how a horse facing two turns for the first time has handled traffic in general.

As you evaluate the Kentucky Derby contenders, keep in mind, as with all things in horse racing, that other factors such as post position, tactical speed and running style will play a big part of any effort as well.

As a Middle Distance Factor
As we previously mentioned, not all distances share the same track configuration. For example, 1 1/8-miles over the massive Belmont Park main track is a one-turn race, while at almost every other track in the U.S. the same distance is run at two turns. While that distance is fairly consistent in terms of configuration, the real variation between tracks comes at the middle distances of 7-furlongs to a mile.

In fact, looking closely at track configuration can be the most handy when judging horses running at the middle distances of 7-furlongs to a mile or stretching out from a sprint distance to a middle distance. For example, if a sprinter is stretching out to 7-furlongs at one turn, the distance is the primary challenge, whereas if it’s a two-turn 7-furlong race, the horse has the additional challenge of the added turn. These are the sorts of fine-grain distinctions handicappers live for!

Other Considerations
Post position is also a consideration with track configuration. We’ll have another post that digs deeper into this subject, but you can always check the win stats by post position for your track. If the information is not readily available on your track’s website, you can search it via the Equibase Meet Statistics. The report will also include jockey and trainer stats for the track, but you can find the post position stats on the last page.

While not broken out at specific distances, the “Sprint Races” include distances that are less than a mile and the “Distance Races” include distances that are a mile and above. Both “Sprint” and “Distance” stats are across all surfaces for the given track. Here’s a a recent example from Gulfstream Park:

Another track configuration difference is the length of the homestretch, also referred to as the stretch (which is the last part of the race where the horses are heading for the finish line). For example, Fair Grounds has a notoriously long stretch, whereas Oaklawn Park’s 1-mile races and Keeneland’s 1 1/16-miles races have a notoriously short stretch. We’ll dig into this with another post, but as a rule of thumb, a short stretch means there’s less time to recover from a wide trip or traffic trouble and a longer stretch means there’s more of a chance to tire out before getting to the finish line.

Regardless of the handicapping problem you’re trying to solve, we’ve compiled a list of the configurations by track and distance that you can use as a handy guide. Happy handicapping!

Main Track Configurations
Listed below are distances for all available tracks and whether or not they are run at one or two turns. We’ve included only the distances where there is most the variation between tracks.
See bottom of chart for a key and more information.

Turf Configurations
Listed below are distances for all available tracks and whether or not they are run at one or two turns. We’ve included only the distances where there is most the variation between tracks.
See bottom of chart for a key and more information.

Hi sorry to bother you I am trying to find out if all the American tracks are all flat Or like English tracks ie: Galloping, Tight, Sharp, Stiff (uphill ect) or undulating tracks. Appreciate any advice help ect Pat Nevin, London England.

Hi Pat, no bother! Almost all American tracks are flat and vary with regard to how tight their turns are. For example, Belmont Park is known for its wide, sweeping turns and Santa Anita has a downhill turf course. Kentucky Downs also has a more European configuration and i believe it also has some undulation. Arlington Park and Woodbine turf courses have always been considered friendly to European shippers, but that might be more about how the grass is kept (a bit longer, etc).

More detailed information is available in the annual American Racing Manual, also published by DRF. The most current one I have from 2009 (which means it contains 2008 information). The real difference from what’s available on DRF’s site is that you can more easily read the information in the graphic of the track: 1 mile chute.

I didn’t search every track but my suggestion is to 1) try the track’s own site (Keeneland has included theirs on their site, but they’re usually the exception) and try googling the track’s name and “track configuration” (e.g., saratoga track configuration).

The only North American racetracks that run two-turn 7-furlong turf races are Mountaineer Park and Turf Paradise, and Fort Erie in Canada – and Fair Grounds’ 1-mile dirt races use a “short stretch” (even though that means 1,016 feet instead of the continent’s second-longest 1,346-foot dirt stretch!). Furthermore, the Aqueduct Inner Dirt Track no longer exists, and there is no 1 1/16-mile distance on its main dirt track.

As for Belmont’s “notoriously long stretch,” its stretch (1,097 feet) is shorter than that of both Aqueduct (1,155.5 feet) and Saratoga (1,144 feet).

My friend and I are having a silly argument that you might help resolve. We were discussing the Belmont stakes when he said it is a one turn race. I disagreed, telling him the mile and a half distance at Belmont is a two turn race. He is now trying to tell me that Belmont Park is a “ one turn track “. I’ve never heard of a one turn track in America. I replied that there are one turn distances and two turn distances, but the track itself has two turns. ( How could a horse run all the way around the track if there were only one turn on the track ??? ) Can you answer the following two questions for us ?

1) Is the Belmont stakes a one or two turn race ?
2) Is Belmont Park a one turn or two turn track?

Would you be able to email your reply to me so I can show him your answers ? My email address is angmor@nyc.rr.com Thank you.

For the most part you are both right. The Belmont Stakes is a two turn race but Belmont is also generally a one turn track on the main track. This article has some good explanation plus illustrations of the track layout:

Basically races up to and including 9F (1 1/8 miles) on the main track are one turn and anything beyond that is two turns. So far this meet it looks like there’s only been one race longer than 9F on the dirt: The Flat Out on 05/04 was run at 11F. For the 2017 Fall meet it looks like there were only two longer than 9F: The 10F Jockey Club Gold Cup on 10/02 and the 13F (!!) Temperance Hill on 10/01.

Thanks for your answer Dana. Are you saying that since most dirt races at Belmont are one turn races, then Belmont is “ generally “ a one turn track? I understand that but I am referring to the physical layout of the track itself when I ask about the number of turns in the track.

Yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying. The track itself is an oval and therefore physically has two turns, but with most of the races being 9F or shorter one could argue that Belmont is “generally” a one turn track.

There’s a graphic in the post at Getting Out of the Gate that shows both the overall layout of the track and where each of the dirt races start. The starting points are indicated with boxes and it shows 5F through 9F on the backstretch. It’s a really handy illustration, so thanks to you and your friend for prompting me to look for it!

Spending most of my time at now closed Playfair Race Course in Spokane Wa …. My question would be how many American race tracks are there that have configurations of 5/8 of a mile. Really miss live racing in Spokane… Travel to Emerald Down for a weekend each summer to get my racing fix.

note: The racing at shorter tracks is so much more up close and personal…. Tight turns probably not as favorable to horses.